20:20 Galway

Wednesday 2 August 2023

All17:1017:4018:1018:4019:1519:5020:20

Tote Always SP Or Better At Galway Handicap Hurdle

Off time: 20:27 | Winning time: 5m 28.00s

Building Bridges⁶¹

Age: 7| Weight: 11-12| J: Mr O McGill⁽⁷⁾| T: Gary McGill| OR: 122

40/1

12/1, career best when winning 12-runner handicap hurdle at Down Royal (20.4f, good) 61 days ago by 2½ lengths from Ossifer Hops, kept up to work. 9 lb rise asks for more.

Form: 15314-1

Purple Mountain^p1⁴¹

Age: 8| Weight: 11-12| J: Brian Hayes| T: J J Hanlon| OR: 122| C

66/1

Course winner. Ninth of 17 in maiden (50/1) at Leopardstown (15f, good) on Flat debut 41 days ago. Cheekpieces fitted for the first time back over obstacles.

Form: 60/3P-07

Thornleigh Frank¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 11-10| J: Mark McDonagh⁽⁵⁾| T: M Fahey| OR: 120

7/1

Promising sort. Career best when winning 14-runner handicap hurdle (11/4) at Kilbeggan (18f, soft) 12 days ago. Handicapper reacted with 15 lb rise but he's improving fast and this trip may unlock even more.

Form: 57-6711

Miss Tempo⁹⁰

Age: 7| Weight: 11-9| J: Mike O'Connor⁽³⁾| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 119

18/1

Career best when winning 19-runner handicap hurdle at Tipperary (24.3f, good to soft, 8/1) 90 days ago, kept up to work. Up 12 lb in his quest for the hat-trick but she's in top hands.

Form: 2165/1-1

Shanwalla^t1²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Danny Gilligan⁽⁷⁾| T: P J Gilligan| OR: 119| C

8/1

Course winner. Second of 15 in handicap hurdle (28/1) at Tipperary (20f, good to soft) 27 days ago, faring best of those ridden prominently. That was a positive run and a tongue tie goes on for the first time. Won at this meeting in 2021 and he looks a big player.

Form: 11/740-2

Zoffany Bay²²

Age: 9| Weight: 11-9| J: Sean Flanagan| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 119| D

18/1

Won 8-runner handicap at Tramore (12f, good to soft, 11/8) 22 days ago, always holding on. that confirms he's in good heart having pulled up twice over hurdles in the spring.

Form: F51/2PP-

Another Choice^h1⁴⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 11-8| J: Keith Donoghue| T: M J Smith| OR: 118

50/1

Pulled up in handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (24.4f, good, 4/1) 44 days ago. Hood on first time and this isn't an easy race to bounce back in.

Form: 62623-P

Hartur D'arc^t1²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-7| J: Darragh O'Keeffe| T: T Gibney| OR: 117

33/1

Latest win in hurdle at Wexford in May. Respectable seventh of 15 in handicap hurdle (5/1) at Tipperary (20f, good to soft) 27 days ago. Tongue strap on first time and he looks a shade too high in the weights.

Form: 3088-17

Ossifer Hops^p1²⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 116| BF

25/1

Winner in hurdle at Downpatrick in May. 10/3, respectable third of 15 in handicap hurdle at Tipperary (20f, good to soft) 27 days ago. Looked pretty hard work on that occasions so cheekpieces may help.

Form: 482-123

We'llhavewan^t⁶⁴

Age: 8| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 116

13/8

11/4, career best when winning 15-runner handicap hurdle at Ballinrobe (16.2f, good) 64 days ago, forging clear. Significantly up in trip and more to come for leading yard.

Form: 1/1742-1

Big Debates⁹⁸

Age: 10| Weight: 11-5| J: Phillip Enright| T: R Tyner| OR: 115

40/1

Two wins from 6 runs last season. Latest win in chase at Fairyhouse in December. Creditable fifth of 25 in handicap hurdle (10/1) at Punchestown (19.8f, good to soft) 98 days ago. Lower in the weights over timber compared to chase mark.

Form: 116F35-

Glenquin Castle^p,t¹⁹⁰

Age: 9| Weight: 11-5| J: C Brassil⁽⁵⁾| T: M Brassil| OR: 115| C

66/1

Course winner. Seven wins in a prolific 2021. 25/1, sixth of 7 in handicap chase at Down Royal (24f, soft). Off 6 months. Switches from chase to hurdles and market may guide.

Form: 7/6P556-

A Great View^b²⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 11-4| J: Mark Walsh| T: D Cullen| OR: 114

28/1

Below form eighth of 15 in handicap hurdle at Tipperary (20f, good to soft, 8/1) 27 days ago, needing stiffer test of stamina. Gets the here and blinkers replace cheekpieces.

Form: 0600-38

Bella Bliss^t⁴⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Rachael Blackmore| T: J C McConnell| OR: 114

22/1

Latest win in hurdle at Down Royal in May. Thirteenth of 14 in handicap hurdle (5/1) at Downpatrick (18.8f, good) 45 days ago.

Form: B72-160

Something Abouther⁵³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Aidan Kelly⁽⁵⁾| T: P Roche| OR: 114

9/1

5/4, career best when winning 18-runner novice hurdle at Punchestown (22f, good) 53 days ago, forging clear. Makes handicap hurdle debut and she's unexposed over this distance.

Form: 17/33-21

Moonovercloon¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-2| J: J Smith⁽⁷⁾| T: M J Smith| OR: 112| BF

16/1

Latest win in hurdle at Downpatrick in June. Backed that effort up when third of 10 in handicap hurdle at Kilbeggan (19f, soft, 9/4) 19 days ago.

Form: 56P5-13

Coventry²³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Sam Ewing| T: Peter Fahey| OR: 111| BF

14/1

Thirteen runs since last win in 2021. Respectable fifth of 12 in claiming hurdle at Roscommon (20f, good to soft, 7/2) 23 days ago. First run for yard after leaving Gordon Elliott. Has work to do.

Form: 888F9-5

Fancy A Cosmo^t²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-1| J: Donagh Meyler| T: R P Cody| OR: 111

10/1

15/2, won 14-runner novice hurdle at Wexford (20.7f, good to soft) 26 days ago, well on top finish. Not taken lightly back in handicap company.

Form: 59-0231

Snugsborough Benny^p⁶⁵

Age: 13| Weight: 11-1| J: Dillon Maxwell⁽⁷⁾| T: J P Broderick| OR: 111| CD

66/1

Twenty one runs since last win in 2019. Respectable sixth of 15 in handicap chase (20/1) at Ballinrobe (23f, good) 65 days ago. Switches from chase to hurdles. RESERVE.

Form: 276B3-6

Ardhill^b⁴⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-1| J: Mr H C Swan⁽⁵⁾| T: G Elliott| OR: 111| BF

11/1

5/2, second of 7 in handicap chase at Downpatrick (23.5f, good to soft) 46 days ago, clear of rest. Switches from chase to hurdles. Looks competitive on form. RESERVE.

Form: 00901/2

Non-Runners

Jack Hackett¹⁶⁴

Weight: 11-4| Age: 9

T: Ciaran Murphy J: E Walsh

Tucson Train¹⁹

Weight: 11-2| Age: 8

T: T Mullins J: M J M O'Sullivan

Cozone²

Weight: 10-13| Age: 6

T: M J Smith J: Reserve 3

Forecasts

We'llhavewan (13/8), Thornleigh Frank (7/1), Shanwalla (8/1), Something Abouther (9/1), Fancy A Cosmo (10/1), Ardhill (11/1), Coventry (14/1), Moonovercloon (16/1), Zoffany Bay (18/1), Miss Tempo (18/1), Bella Bliss (22/1), Ossifer Hops (25/1), A Great View (28/1), Hartur D'arc (33/1), Building Bridges (40/1), Big Debates (40/1), Another Choice (50/1), Glenquin Castle (66/1), Snugsborough Benny (66/1), Purple Mountain (66/1), Jack Hackett (66/1), Cozone (66/1), Tucson Train (66/1)

Any number to consider but THORNLEIGH FRANK is improving at a rate of knots and with this trip expected to be within range, he is taken to shrug off another hefty rise in the weights. Something Abouther and We'llhavewan head the list of dangers, though Shanwalla, a winner at the meeting in 2021, also demands respect.